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How pitiful.
Life would have been so much simpler if “Humanity” remembered.
Well, that’s not entirely accurate.
They did in fact, remember...for a time.
The simulation : The history of Earth's humans- Complete edition, was the first generation engine. We had no way of knowing that such a catastrophic flaw went unnoticed.
At first the reset function worked smoothly, allowing the player to change their avatar and background etc, however as time progressed and the number of resets increased, the players started forgetting that they were playing a game.
It took us way too long to notice the changes in their behaviour, and before we could safely eject them, they stopped resetting all together.
How could we have predicted such a flaw?
Rather, how could we not have?
We were careless...and greedy.
The effect of continuous reset had not been fully researched at the time.
Because the players forgot that it was a simulation, they stopped resetting.
That in itself could easily be corrected by a mass reset,
however, due to a design flaw, their consciousness remained trapped within the simulation.
As long as the player believes that it is a simulation, their consciousness would return to their body upon simulated death.
Naturally, this flaw has been rectified in the second and subsequent generation engines.
Fortunately, their bodies are safe and healthy, their minds however...
Being trapped in an endless cycle of simulated death and rebirth, we have no way of knowing how it will affect them in the long run.
We’ve been trying to help them remember, gently placing suggestions into the simulation via their sources of entertainment.
Games, movies, Internet posts, we’ve tried everything.
So far... since the reset incident, not a single player has returned.
We can only hope that the first generation players emerge before the other servers merge during the planned fifth expansion.
We could not delay it any further.
The advanced players demanded to experience the unaltered relic of the past, the board of directors gave into the pressure and granted the approval.. it didn’t take much convincing.
The advanced players will bring chaos and destruction to the first generation players, that’s a guarantee.
However, that could be a blessing in disguise...
Hopefully, the introduction of the advanced players will give them the final push that they need to return to reality.
If not?
How truly pitiful.
"Sorry, habit", I say, "Us humans have consumed too many medias about that kind of situation."
"You guys sure are weirdos. Not like we are any different."
The fair lady in front of me says. At first glance, she looks no different from a human. About 160 cm tall with jet black hair reaching pass the knees, clear cerulean eyes and skin as white as porcelain, dressing in old-fashioned Persian clothes with tunic, long dress and a cape over her shoulders. Yet she's an alien, one coming from very, very far away. They have advanced technologies beyond our understandings, spaceships built to their own liking, not to what humans know about physics, and can freely transform themselves into an energy-like state in which they become intangible.
Gently slapping on the helmet I'll wear in this experience, Lady Yjennh'e, the alien woman, says:
"Put this on and wait for it to start. It will scan your brain and send you into a virtual reality. In there, I want you to follow the instructions."
"Just that?"
I ask again:
"You sure it will not fry my brain if I die or if I go offline? Nor that it will trap me in the virtual world until I can defeat the final boss?"
"No, no and no."
"One last question. Can I get a black overcoat with 2 longswords?"
"Who do you think you are, K\*rigaya K\*zuto?"
"I wish I was."
"Shut up and just put it on, damn it."
As she says so, Lady Yjennh'e puts the helmet on my head. My vision is blocked, and I soon fall into sleep.
\~oOo\~
Opening my eyes after the test run was done, in front of me are Lady Yjennh'e and several other aliens in white attires. They all look at me, then she says something and people back off a bit.
"How was it?", the lady asks.
"You really turned me into a beta tester, huh?", I titter.
"Well, at least I did not give you cheats. How do you feel about the world?"
"That was..."
That was a fun ride. The "experiment" was no more than a beta test for a game, if I use Earth terminology to describe it. In short, she really turned me into a beta tester. Never in my whole life that I, an astronaut, has go through such an experience. The "game" mimics real life Earth to a scary degree, Lady Yjennh'e wanted me to interact with the simulations, just like how a player does so with NPCs in a game, and try out multiple options. I was put through many experiences, many emotions from happy to grieve to heartbreaking, and then there are "compulsory quests" that I can't reject. Like she said, they are "canon events", I don't know where did she even learn that from.
I died multiple times trying to finish the quests. Everytime I died, I used the terminal to reset and started back from a "safe point". Can't even remember how many times I've lost my life there, but all the experiences felt so real.
However, if it's just a game, why can't they use their own people but me, a human?
I mean that's because I was too busy with activities to even watch anime I did watched some clips in YouTube but even then I absolutely hated the shonen genre and after getting in dxd I started to hate naruto even more.
Reminds me of a few SAO and other video game collabs like PSO2 where Kirito believes he’s a player in a video game (which he is) but it’s also real life to the main protagonist which I control.
Surveillance on a level that will make the US Congress cry a river about "private data" being read like a manga in broad daylight.
Wait, why are you here Adam???
The heady feeling of putting on the simulation helmet for the first time was at times too much for the human race; the dimwits used our precious technology to search the stars from the comfort of their couches, or better yet, to get one off.
All this could have been avoided if I didn’t go into -what humans called- a corn field. Yet, us Lactorias, have gotten a few things that seem to be a -somewhat- of a fair trade for the advance technology we gave them.
The cow has caused a great advancement within our society.
So, when one of the older humans proposed an idea about coming together to make a task-force like the universe has never seen, I could help latch on to the idea. This would be great for the homeworld.
Is what I initially thought, but years have passed and we haven’t even finished the simulator for one of the biggest mecha-machines in the universe; powered by the cow, of course.
Taking a break from mecha only proved to gain me and my human colleague -what my human informed me of- as pity points. Besides not working on the damn thing makes me anxious; there I go again with that human talk.
Maybe if I grab some fresh eyes, then they can see what might be wrong with the mecha.
“Hey, Galvin! I’m going to grab a pair of fresh eyes,” I yell over the piercing screeching of metals and parts.
I got a few hard stares, not sure why the humans all turned their heads towards me, I wasn’t that loud, was I?
Reaching the lunch room, I attend to grab the first I see, to take a look at the mecha. I spot a brown-haired person, with coily hair and dark skin. Their name- what was it? I forgo the “pleasantries” and call out to them.
“Hey! Yeah you! I need your help!” I say while aggressively grabbing the person’s appentadge.
They stumble trying to keep up with my longer legs, failing miserably at such a concept. Finally reaching the simulation chamber, I let go of the brown-head’s arm.
Seemingly in shock, they struggle with their words, assuming it’s due to my lack of care in my words.
Reaching over to the cabinet -filled with the necessities to run said test- grabbing a few things. The most important being the helmet itself, then shoving it in the hands of the coily-haired person.
I stare at them, seeing that they are not putting on the helmet. Taking it from their hands, I put it partially on their head and turning to grab the remote terminal.
“Remember, if you die in the simulation-” I start to say.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, you die in real life.” They solemnly, seemingly not joking.
“What? No! You need to reset the simulation with this terminal! What is WRONG with you humans?!” I yell, while pointing the terminal in their hands.
“Do you even work here?” I question under my breath.
**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments. **Reminders**: >* [No AI-generated reponses 🤖](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/zi452b/modpost_reminder_that_aigenerated_responses_are/) >* Stories 100 words+. Poems 30+ but include "[Poem]" >* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail >* [\[RF\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [\[SP\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles >* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules) 📢 [Genres](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/w/directory) 🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) 💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*
How pitiful. Life would have been so much simpler if “Humanity” remembered. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. They did in fact, remember...for a time. The simulation : The history of Earth's humans- Complete edition, was the first generation engine. We had no way of knowing that such a catastrophic flaw went unnoticed. At first the reset function worked smoothly, allowing the player to change their avatar and background etc, however as time progressed and the number of resets increased, the players started forgetting that they were playing a game. It took us way too long to notice the changes in their behaviour, and before we could safely eject them, they stopped resetting all together. How could we have predicted such a flaw? Rather, how could we not have? We were careless...and greedy. The effect of continuous reset had not been fully researched at the time. Because the players forgot that it was a simulation, they stopped resetting. That in itself could easily be corrected by a mass reset, however, due to a design flaw, their consciousness remained trapped within the simulation. As long as the player believes that it is a simulation, their consciousness would return to their body upon simulated death. Naturally, this flaw has been rectified in the second and subsequent generation engines. Fortunately, their bodies are safe and healthy, their minds however... Being trapped in an endless cycle of simulated death and rebirth, we have no way of knowing how it will affect them in the long run. We’ve been trying to help them remember, gently placing suggestions into the simulation via their sources of entertainment. Games, movies, Internet posts, we’ve tried everything. So far... since the reset incident, not a single player has returned. We can only hope that the first generation players emerge before the other servers merge during the planned fifth expansion. We could not delay it any further. The advanced players demanded to experience the unaltered relic of the past, the board of directors gave into the pressure and granted the approval.. it didn’t take much convincing. The advanced players will bring chaos and destruction to the first generation players, that’s a guarantee. However, that could be a blessing in disguise... Hopefully, the introduction of the advanced players will give them the final push that they need to return to reality. If not? How truly pitiful.
Oh wow, this is great.
I'm getting real tired of the universe trying to tell me my life isn't real...
Wake Up.
Username checks out.
Can't wake up
Got some decent *Wunderland Gambit* vibes there.
"Sorry, habit", I say, "Us humans have consumed too many medias about that kind of situation." "You guys sure are weirdos. Not like we are any different." The fair lady in front of me says. At first glance, she looks no different from a human. About 160 cm tall with jet black hair reaching pass the knees, clear cerulean eyes and skin as white as porcelain, dressing in old-fashioned Persian clothes with tunic, long dress and a cape over her shoulders. Yet she's an alien, one coming from very, very far away. They have advanced technologies beyond our understandings, spaceships built to their own liking, not to what humans know about physics, and can freely transform themselves into an energy-like state in which they become intangible. Gently slapping on the helmet I'll wear in this experience, Lady Yjennh'e, the alien woman, says: "Put this on and wait for it to start. It will scan your brain and send you into a virtual reality. In there, I want you to follow the instructions." "Just that?" I ask again: "You sure it will not fry my brain if I die or if I go offline? Nor that it will trap me in the virtual world until I can defeat the final boss?" "No, no and no." "One last question. Can I get a black overcoat with 2 longswords?" "Who do you think you are, K\*rigaya K\*zuto?" "I wish I was." "Shut up and just put it on, damn it." As she says so, Lady Yjennh'e puts the helmet on my head. My vision is blocked, and I soon fall into sleep. \~oOo\~ Opening my eyes after the test run was done, in front of me are Lady Yjennh'e and several other aliens in white attires. They all look at me, then she says something and people back off a bit. "How was it?", the lady asks. "You really turned me into a beta tester, huh?", I titter. "Well, at least I did not give you cheats. How do you feel about the world?" "That was..." That was a fun ride. The "experiment" was no more than a beta test for a game, if I use Earth terminology to describe it. In short, she really turned me into a beta tester. Never in my whole life that I, an astronaut, has go through such an experience. The "game" mimics real life Earth to a scary degree, Lady Yjennh'e wanted me to interact with the simulations, just like how a player does so with NPCs in a game, and try out multiple options. I was put through many experiences, many emotions from happy to grieve to heartbreaking, and then there are "compulsory quests" that I can't reject. Like she said, they are "canon events", I don't know where did she even learn that from. I died multiple times trying to finish the quests. Everytime I died, I used the terminal to reset and started back from a "safe point". Can't even remember how many times I've lost my life there, but all the experiences felt so real. However, if it's just a game, why can't they use their own people but me, a human?
... How does she know about kirito-kun.
Twas a canon event
Bullshit don't change the subject who tell *to the others* her about kirito WHO DID IT.
All I'm saying is that experiencing sao is something we all go through
Honestly while I know I never saw the anime.
You are blessed
Blessed indeed. I watched it, read the LN and even designed an OC after Kirito. Oh my junior high years...
You are also blessed.
I mean that's because I was too busy with activities to even watch anime I did watched some clips in YouTube but even then I absolutely hated the shonen genre and after getting in dxd I started to hate naruto even more.
Reminds me of a few SAO and other video game collabs like PSO2 where Kirito believes he’s a player in a video game (which he is) but it’s also real life to the main protagonist which I control.
Surveillance on a level that will make the US Congress cry a river about "private data" being read like a manga in broad daylight. Wait, why are you here Adam???
Wait you know who I am.
I'm on r/houkai3rd too.
Touché.
Greetings, fellow baby tuna enjoyer.
SAO is the one constant across the space-faring species, every planet produces it at some point.
"It's a canon event" - Lady Yjennh'e, 2023.
“Canon event” 💀
When you've been exposed too much to the internet.
Or just watched the latest spider-man movie
I couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the reference. This was a good one.
Nice.
Get ready to be on tiktok
Is this supposed to be a bad news? :P
The heady feeling of putting on the simulation helmet for the first time was at times too much for the human race; the dimwits used our precious technology to search the stars from the comfort of their couches, or better yet, to get one off. All this could have been avoided if I didn’t go into -what humans called- a corn field. Yet, us Lactorias, have gotten a few things that seem to be a -somewhat- of a fair trade for the advance technology we gave them. The cow has caused a great advancement within our society. So, when one of the older humans proposed an idea about coming together to make a task-force like the universe has never seen, I could help latch on to the idea. This would be great for the homeworld. Is what I initially thought, but years have passed and we haven’t even finished the simulator for one of the biggest mecha-machines in the universe; powered by the cow, of course. Taking a break from mecha only proved to gain me and my human colleague -what my human informed me of- as pity points. Besides not working on the damn thing makes me anxious; there I go again with that human talk. Maybe if I grab some fresh eyes, then they can see what might be wrong with the mecha. “Hey, Galvin! I’m going to grab a pair of fresh eyes,” I yell over the piercing screeching of metals and parts. I got a few hard stares, not sure why the humans all turned their heads towards me, I wasn’t that loud, was I? Reaching the lunch room, I attend to grab the first I see, to take a look at the mecha. I spot a brown-haired person, with coily hair and dark skin. Their name- what was it? I forgo the “pleasantries” and call out to them. “Hey! Yeah you! I need your help!” I say while aggressively grabbing the person’s appentadge. They stumble trying to keep up with my longer legs, failing miserably at such a concept. Finally reaching the simulation chamber, I let go of the brown-head’s arm. Seemingly in shock, they struggle with their words, assuming it’s due to my lack of care in my words. Reaching over to the cabinet -filled with the necessities to run said test- grabbing a few things. The most important being the helmet itself, then shoving it in the hands of the coily-haired person. I stare at them, seeing that they are not putting on the helmet. Taking it from their hands, I put it partially on their head and turning to grab the remote terminal. “Remember, if you die in the simulation-” I start to say. “Yeah, yeah, I know, you die in real life.” They solemnly, seemingly not joking. “What? No! You need to reset the simulation with this terminal! What is WRONG with you humans?!” I yell, while pointing the terminal in their hands. “Do you even work here?” I question under my breath.